You can easily enjoy several gut-friendly foods as part of a healthy keto diet. Foods low in carbs but high in gut-boosting benefits include:. Many gut-friendly foods can be enjoyed as part of a healthy keto diet, including fermented vegetables and certain oils.

Studies on the ketogenic diet and gut health provide conflicting results. On one hand, this eating pattern may reduce inflammation and help treat some digestive disorders. On the other hand, it may harm your gut microbiome and lead to digestive issues like constipation.

If you decide to follow a ketogenic diet, be sure to eat a variety of gut-friendly foods to promote digestive health. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Here are 14 healthy sources….

Having healthy gut bacteria is important for your health. However, many diet, lifestyle and other factors can negatively affect the health of your gut. The keto diet may help you reduce your carb intake and lose weight, but it does have side effects, including constipation.

Find out how to prevent it. The low-carb, high-fat keto diet of 4 percent carbs, 6 percent protein, and 90 percent fat works by sending the body into ketosis — the metabolic…. It sticks to the basics, so….

Feeling bloated and unwell? Is your gut unhappy? Discover which diet is best for managing your diabetes. Getting enough fiber is crucial to overall gut health. Let's look at some easy ways to get more into your diet:. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic?

How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Nutrition Evidence Based Does Keto Affect Your Gut Health? By Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD on July 12, Downsides Benefits Foods list Bottom line. Share on Pinterest.

Potential downsides. Potential benefits. Keto-friendly foods for gut health. The bottom line. How we reviewed this article: History. Jul 12, Written By Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD.

Share this article. As mentioned above, a new study published May 20, , in Cell showed that a low-carb diet like the ketogenic diet can do wonders for improving gut health [ 11 ]. The UC San Francisco study found that ketone bodies impacted the gut microbiome in ways that reduced inflammation.

The findings indicate ketones may be a potential way to treat autoimmune disorders that impact the gut, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS. Researchers also discovered that mice fed normal amounts of carbohydrates experienced microbial changes from added ketones.

But this suggests that you may get some of the effects of ketosis quite quickly," said Peter Turnbaugh , PhD, a UCSF associate professor of microbiology and immunology, member of the UCSF Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine and a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator.

Simply increasing the level of ketones in your body may offer benefits to digestive health. With this information in mind, here are 5 tips you can use to improve the health of your gut microbiome. There are plenty of reasons to switch to this low-carb, high-fat diet, and better gut health is among them.

Keto dieters consume only 25 to 50 grams of net carbs per day, which helps them enter a state called ketosis. This metabolic state means their body burns stored body fat for fuel instead of stored sugar.

Besides being directly linked to better gut health, going keto has also been shown to have metabolic benefits [ 13 ]. Bacteria thrive in a warm, wet environment, which makes hydration important for anyone looking to improve gut health [ 14 ].

Your digestive system as a whole is also responsible for much of the water loss you experience on a daily basis [ 15 ]. Current studies show that drinking 4 to 6 cups per day is standard for healthy people. But if you exercise or live in a hot climate, you should probably take in even more [ 16 ].

In this case, you might also consider taking electrolytes. Keep in mind these are just general hydration guidelines; be sure to consult your doctor about your hydration levels before making any drastic changes—it is, after all, possible to drink too much water.

Believe it or not, all of the following things can mess with your gut health [ 17 ]:. All of these things are forms of physical or mental stress and can negatively impact your gut microbiome. Therefore, anything you do to mitigate stress can all be potentially helpful for keeping your gut healthy.

Ideas include setting a routine, going to bed at a consistent time, getting enough sleep, practicing mindfulness, meditating, and doing yoga, to list a few. It can't be digested through traditional means like most of the other stuff we eat, and is instead passed through the stomach into the small intestine where bacteria devour it [ 18 ].

Eating plenty of fibrous foods like cauliflower, nuts, broccoli, and avocados are all good ways to keep your gut bacteria healthy and thriving. And by the way, eating enough fiber also has a direct link to weight loss.

Because it helps keep you full longer after meals and regulates your metabolism, you're more likely to shed weight if you're eating enough of this nutrient [ 19 ].

Inflammation by itself is a natural response by the body that promotes healing. But when you eat poorly all the time or live a sedentary lifestyle, your body can get into a "loop" where it's unable to heal the damaged tissue.

This chronic issue can lead to disease if left untreated [ 21 ]. In fact, poor diet can cause intestinal inflammation, which does not bode well for gut health at all [ 22 ]. And just FYI: the keto diet is considered a great diet for reducing systemic inflammation [ 23 ]. Looking for some low-carb foods that can put you on the right track to gut health?

Look no further—the following foods are great for promoting gut bacteria health or reducing inflammatio n. And they're all keto-friendly!

Head over to our recipes section for some delicious low-carb ways to integrate these foods into your diet! We hope this helps you make more informed decisions about managing gut health and prioritizing quality foods in your diet!

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published to avoid spam. Many people have found that following a low-carb diet has been a successful strategy to improve t It's no coincidence that nuts sit atop most keto grocery shopping lists. They're a healthy, tasty, If you've been doing keto for a while, you know that fat bombs are pretty great.

Not only are fat KetoLogic recipes are delicious and entirely satisfying. Use them to lose weight, maintain your form, feel more energetic, and supercharge your brain. Long Arrow Right Icon empty copy 2 Created with Sketch. Group 7 Created with Sketch.

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Keep in mind that when you take these on an empty stomach or with coffee, the loose stool effects may occur at a lower dose than when taken with food or without coffee.

The body has a harder time breaking down lipids fats than other nutrients. Supplementing with the right digestive enzymes can help with this.

The only digestive enzyme formulated for the ketogenic diet is kApex. It contains full-spectrum lipases and proteases, which work across all gut pH ranges, to help your gut fully break down fat and proteins.

Also, the dandelion root is a digestive bitter that stimulates healthy bile production and flow while supporting liver health and relieving nausea.

Aside from the digestive support, kApex also contains ingredients that help boost mitochondrial function and support ketogenesis from the fat you eat. That way, your keto-adaptation happens more smoothly and you feel more energized. It also promotes metabolism and gently supports physical performance, which can allow you to be more active on keto.

This makes it the best supplement to help you digest your keto meals and feel great on the ketogenic diet, especially in the beginning. Stomach acidity is important for healthy gut movement, smooth digestion, and natural bile secretion.

Bloating, stomach heaviness, and heartburn are signs of low stomach acid that tend to worsen with high-fat meals. HCL Breakthrough is perfect because it provides acid and digestive enzymes that work best in acidic pH.

Clean means whole, natural, and recognizable from its original form, e. meats and vegetables. Some people with major sugar addictions may want to avoid all sweeteners natural or artificial during this period.

Processed keto foods, especially brownies and candies, tend to come with sugar alcohols that can cause loose stools. They may also contain gut irritants like gluten or dairy, which can increase inflammation and make you feel worse. In some cases, the inflammation keeps blood sugar high, making it hard to enter or stay in ketosis [ R ].

MCT oils, exogenous ketones, and sugar alcohols can cause loose stools, especially when mixed with high-fat meals and coffee. If you get diarrhea, you want to remove these until your gut recovers. Then, try to figure out what small doses you can tolerate.

Generally, those who follow a low-carb diet tend to eat too little fiber, as many high-fiber foods contain high carbohydrate levels. Consuming enough fiber will help you maintain a healthy gut and feed your good gut bacteria. Leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale are rich in fiber which can help add volume to your stool, making it easier to pass.

This reduces the likelihood of constipation. If you have the tendency for diarrhea, the fiber helps bulk up the stool and improve its consistency. When your body moves to ketosis, it can use up the glycogen stores stored carbs in your liver and muscles.

And since glycogen is stored with water molecules, a depletion will cause you to lose water through your urine which contains electrolytes. Also, the kidney starts to dump sodium rapidly due to a fall in insulin and aldosterone levels. So, you need to consume a lot more salt and electrolytes to prevent deficiency symptoms.

Remember to drink enough water aim for close to a gallon per day and make sure you eat electrolyte-rich whole foods. Also, supplement with a lot of salt and electrolytes. When you switch diets, some of your gut bacteria die off.

This can worsen the keto flu. Biome Breakthrough is the best solution because IgYmax can bind the components of bacteria that die, preventing many die-off symptoms. IgYmax also seems to balance the inflammatory response at the gut barrier, making it even more hospitable to the healthy gut flora [ R ].

High-fat meals can open up the gut barrier and allow some bacterial toxins from bad bacteria through, which contributes to the keto flu and digestive problems [ R ]. When the good bacteria ferment the beneficial fiber in Biome Breakthrough, they produce the postbiotics that help reseal the gut barrier.

Also, Lactobacillus gasseri, one of the probiotic strains in Biome Breakthrough, is clinically proven to help with weight [ R , R ]. Incorporating some movements into your day for keto adaptation and your gut is important. kApex also has mitochondria-boosting ingredients that improve energy and physical performance.

You can reap the benefits of keto with minimal keto flu and digestive symptoms. To transition into ketosis smoothly, I recommend trying kApex , HCl Breakthrough , and Biome Breakthrough.

I want to live in a world where every woman has access to knowledge to better her health. Read more about me I want Meal Plans Weight Loss. How To Adapt To Ketosis Without The Keto Flu And Digestive Problems November 6, By Leanne Vogel November 7, Keto has numerous benefits, such as blood sugar balance, weight loss, and better brain function.

Keto shopping lists, recipes, and more! Start keto with this FREE 5-step guide. This compound impairs the intestine's mucosal barrier and causes colitis or inflammation of the colon. A keto diet d ecreases the species of bacteria involved in the digestion and metabolism of high-fat nutrients, such as Bacteroides spp.

coli , A. This diet also decreases the species connected to the digestion of complex carbohydrates, such as Faecalibacterium spp. rectale , E. There is also a decrease in beneficial bacteria, which play preventive roles against pathogens and chronic disease in the gut.

A decrease in diversity leads to an increase in the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Desulfovibrio.

A lack of beneficial bacteria has also been associated with the increased occurrence of colorectal cancer, IBS, and necrotizing enterocolitis.

Before adopting a ketogenic diet, you should fully consider all the positive and negative consequences associated with it. Doing so is important not only for your overall health but also for your gut microbiome's health and diversity.

Many individuals have found success in fortifyin g their microbiome by consuming keto-friendly foods high in fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics. These include low-carbohydrate vegetables, nuts and seeds, and fermented foods.

It is also important to add quality supplements to your daily routine that will promote gut microbiome health, such as a BIOHM's prebiotic or probiotic. This way, you can reap the keto diet's metabolic benefits while counteracting some of the adverse gastrointestinal effects associated with it.

Dr Mahmoud Ghannoum, Ph. D, EMBA, FAAM, FIDSA is widely considered the leading microbiome researcher in the world. He is the scientist who named the mycobiome, and is the founder of BIOHM, the first company to engineer products and tests to address the total microbiome of both bacteria and fungi, allowing consumers to maintain total digestive health.

Ghannoum is responsible for making the breakthrough discovery that bad bacteria and bad fungus work together to create digestive plaque a discovery covered globally by outlets such as CBS News, Scientific American, Forbes and USA Today. During his career, he has published several books on fungus and over peer-reviewed scientific papers.

His work has been cited almost 24, times by other scientists, and Stanford University named him as one of the top 0. Allison Lansman, RDN, LD is a freelance writer and owner of The Freelance RD Nutrition Writing Services.

She is passionate about creating exciting, research-based nutrition blog posts with her professional background as a dietitian. Allie prioritizes creating articles all readers can understand and incorporate into their daily lives.

The gut plays an essential role in maintaining your good health by influencing the behavior of several body systems. The gut is vital for the daily regulation of key functions The Mediterranean diet is based around the traditional foods eaten by Mediterranean peoples, like the Italians and Greeks, in the s.

This diet places a priority on consuming mostly plant-based For decades, the role beneficial fungi has been underestimated and largely unrecognized for the critical role it plays in keeping our gut healthy.

Like the thousands of microorganisms living in Home Gut Health How Does a Ketogenic Diet Affect Your Gut Microbiome? Gut Health. The Ketogenic Diet vs. Traditional Diets The ketogenic di et is a very low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat diet.

Effects of the Ketogenic Diet on the Body The metabolic changes caused by k etosis and the use of ketones as your primary energy source can have both positive and negative effects on your overall health. Benefits of this high-fat , and low-carb diet include: Lowered blood sugar Increased insulin sensitivity Decreased appetite Weight loss stimulation Improvements in certain neurological disorders On the opposite end, metabolic fasting has been shown to negatively impact one's overall health in many different ways.

Symptoms you should be aware of are: Gastrointestinal discomfort Impaired mood, concentration, and energy Reduced flui d and electrolyte levels Poor growth and bone mineralization Irregular heartbeat Extensive changes simulated by the keto diet occur throughout the body and affect several systems, including the gastrointestinal tract.

The Ketogenic Diet and the Gut Microbiome The delicate ecosystem living within the gut has a profound effect on your overall health.

Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet on the Gut Microbiome Increases colonies of certain beneficial bacteria Ketosis can stimulate an increase of bacterial species associated with fat digestion and metabolism in the microbiome.

Improves symptoms of some neurological and digestive disorders The beneficial bacteria increased within the gut microbiome with a keto diet can help manage certain neurological disorders via enzyme and hormone production. Adverse Effects of the Ketogenic Diet on the Gut Microbiome Increase in gut inflammation A high-fat diet increa ses Desulfovibrio bacteria in the gut, which has the ability to produce hydrogen sulfide.

Decrease gut microbiome diversity and richness A keto diet d ecreases the species of bacteria involved in the digestion and metabolism of high-fat nutrients, such as Bacteroides spp. Increase in pathogenic bacteria and disease in the gut There is also a decrease in beneficial bacteria, which play preventive roles against pathogens and chronic disease in the gut.

So, is Going Keto a Good Idea for Your Gut Health? About the Authors: Dr Mahmoud Ghannoum, Ph. Share Article:. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email.